The rings symbolize the unity and brotherhood of nations participating in the modern Olympic Games.
Dear readers,
The Olympic rings have just been hung on the Eiffel Tower. With a length of 29 meters and a height of 15 meters, they are made of 100% recycled steel and 100% produced in the north of France, by the ArcelorMittal group. Blue, yellow, black, green and red (from left to right): these colors, and their order, were chosen by Pierre de Coubertin because they are those most often found on national flags. The intertwining of the rings symbolizes the fraternal meeting of athletes from around the world. The inventor of the modern Olympic Games drew and then colored, for the first time, his rings with his own hand on July 15, 1913. It was on the header of a letter to Baron Godefroy de Blonay, a Swiss member. of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Also read: Pierre de Coubertin, the apostle of modern Olympism
All the symbols imagined by Baron Pierre de Coubertin have survived the years. The motto dates from 1894: “faster Higher Stronger” (faster, higher, stronger). The anthem was first performed in 1896: “Immortal ancient spirit, immaculate father / Of the beautiful, the great, the true,…”. As for the famous credo, it was inspired by a sermon by the Bishop of Pennsylvania, delivered before the opening of the 1908 London Games: “The most important thing at the Olympics is not to win, but to participate“. A sentence with almost unparalleled posterity!
Good reading,
Yves Thréard
